Gadling

Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee: 2012's other major British event

Alex Robertson Textor — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Caribbean

In London, signs of the coming Olympics are everywhere. Barclays Cycle Hire docking stations have begun to expand into East London toward key Olympics sites, billboards urge drivers to begin to think about how they'll deal with increased traffic, and the Prime Minister is busy warning unions that the prospect of a strike during the Olympics would be "unacceptable and unpatriotic."

Meanwhile, outside of London, a number of cities have banded together as Heritage Cities in part to lure those tourists brought to London by the Olympics away from the capital.

But the Olympics are not the only event drawing visitors to the UK this year. 2012 is also the year of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, the 60th anniversary of her coronation as Queen. The Diamond Jubilee will reach its peak during what is being called the Diamond Jubilee central weekend, from June 2 through 5. The weekend will be characterized by some serious pomp and circumstance. Events will include a 1000-boat pageant on the Thames on June 3, a BBC Concert at Buckingham Palace on June 4, and a special Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral followed by a carriage procession on June 5.

In addition to this peak period, there are a number of other events planned in the lead-up to the weekend and beyond.

For example, members of the Royal Family are traveling around the UK, the UK's Crown Dependencies, the UK's Overseas Territories, and Commonwealth to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Currently, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and his wife the Countess of Wessex are on a two-week commemorative Caribbean visit, taking in St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, and Antigua and Barbuda. Locals and tourists alike in the region might just run across Edward and Sophie through March 7.

The Queen and Prince Philip's travel schedule begins March 8 in Leicester and finishes off on what looks like a very busy July 25, taking in Cowes, the Isle of Wight, New Forest, and Hampshire.

There is an official website for taking stock of Diamond Jubilee events. There's also a handy Google map allowing visitors to see where various members of the Royal Family will be celebrating the Queen's reign throughout the year. (Spoiler alert: Harry got Jamaica.) Visitors can play with an interactive timeline of the last 60 years and also send a message to the Queen. And there's the crucial bit of information that Andrew Lloyd Webber is co-authoring a Diamond Jubilee song.

[Image: Flickr | quinn.anya]

Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee: 2012's other major British event originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Things I learned in Antigua: Luffas grow on trees

McLean Robbins — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Food and Drink, Antigua and Barbuda, Caribbean

Antigua is a lush, green land of 365 beaches (one for every day of the year!), warm sunshine, and laid-back island culture. It is also the land of the luffa.

Beauty junkies the world over are familiar with these excellent exfoliating tools, perfect for sudsing up and washing down in the shower or tub. We may even know them by other names - shower sponges, poofs, etcetera. Today, many are made of plastic and come in a variety of colors and textures.

What we might not know: the luffa, also known as a loofah, is a fruit.

That's right. Just like that old fooler the tomato, the loofah is part of the fruit family. That's right - we thought it came from the ocean too. Doesn't the little sponge-like apparatus look like it came from the sea?

Well, it doesn't. This edible "climbing vine" with beautiful yellow flowers - if one wasn't aware of what they were seeking, the luffa might be mistaken for a beautiful tree. Resembling a cucumber when ripe, luffa is often cooked eaten as a fuit in some Middle Eastern and Indian cultures and sometimes prepared with crushed dried peanuts and bans. Some even use its juices as a natural treatment for jaundice. In Canada, the luffa is known as a Chinese Okra and in India the fruit is called a Sebot. In Paraguay, the fruit is combined with other vegetable matters and recycled plastic to create furniture or construct houses.

When dried out, as shown in the gallery below, the luffa can be peeled or chipped away to showcase the mature and dry fibers underneath. Shake out the seeds, which resemble oversized watermelon or sunflower seeds, and viola! The world's only natural bath or kitchen sponge. The coarse network of fibers makes the luffa a perfect exfoliator for both dry and wet skin.

These fruits grow in dry, warm climates throughout China, Korea, Japan and Central America as well as my own personal land of discovery, Antigua.

I'm proud to say that the phrase "you learn something new every day" stands true - it just turns out that this day was more memorable than most!

*A big thanks to Vorn Johnson, an Antiguan nature enthusiast, who accurately pointed out that one of the island's many plants is indeed the luffa fruit. While we can't find data verifying if the plant is native to the island, research shows that the fruit also grows on nearby Barbuda.

Gallery: The Luffa Fruit

Things I learned in Antigua: Luffas grow on trees originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deal watch: Royal wedding vacation packages

Chris Owen — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, Europe, North America, United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Mexico, St. Kitts & Nevis, United States, Hotels and Accommodations, Travel Deals, Caribbean, Luxury Travel

With the Royal Wedding just days away, its not too late to get into the frenzied madness with a royal getaway fit for you, the non-royal regular person. Here are some special offers from a variety of different resorts scattered around the globe with prices between $149 for a one-night getaway (just so you can say you did something special) to $2,250 for a four-night package (so you can say you did something really special).

Enjoy a royal getaway to the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida, when you book the Royal Romance Berries & Bubbly Package on April 29, 2011. The package includes accommodations in a luxury room or resort suite category of your choice, champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries on the night of arrival and complimentary breakfast for two each morning. A package savings of over 20 percent.
Rates start at: $299 per night
Valid for travel: April 29 through December 30, 2011
Reservations: Visit www.sandpearl.com and use promo code ROYAL in the Corporate / Promotion box, or call 1-877-726-3111 and ask for promotional code ROYAL.

Continue reading Deal watch: Royal wedding vacation packages

Deal watch: Royal wedding vacation packages originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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25 Haunting Shipwrecks Around the World

Chris Owen — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: History, Learning, Blogs, Asia, North America, Antarctica, Guinea, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Grenada, Jamaica, United States, Cruises, Central America, Caribbean

Twisted Sifter is a web site with three simple goals. Provide content that is interesting, funny or creative, use BIG pictures whenever possible and to keep their readers up-to-date with what's popular online. Gadling found this gallery of 25 haunting shipwrecks at Twisted Sifter who tells us

"Fellow blogger Tom Moran from Urban Ghosts inspired this post. His excellent article on 'Ship Graveyards: Abandoned Ships, Boats and Shipyards' sent me on a quest to find some incredible photographs of shipwrecks around the world.

The United Nations estimates that there are more than 3 million shipwrecks on the ocean floor [Source: Wikipedia]. These once mighty vessels, both sunken and beached, are a haunting reminder that nothing lasts forever. These beautiful ships used to rule the seas they traveled. Now they serve as a window into our past."

In the gallery below, 25 Haunting Shipwrecks From Around The World, there are shipwrecks everywhere from the Canary Islands to Grand Cayman to Portugal in all shapes and sizes.

Gallery: 25 Haunting Shipwrecks Around the World

Continue reading 25 Haunting Shipwrecks Around the World

25 Haunting Shipwrecks Around the World originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caribbean Tsunami test hopes to save lives

Chris Owen — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, North America, Angola, Japan, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, United States, Caribbean, Travel Security

It was planned long before the earthquake-turned-tsunami event in Japan to test the readiness of 33 Caribbean countries in the region's first full-scale tsunami warning exercise. On Wednesday, March 23, a fictitious earthquake of 7.6 magnitude occurred off the coast of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bulletins were issued by the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island and by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii for the rest of the area and the test was underway.

The Caribbean tsunami test, named Caribe Wave 11 did not involve communities but aimed to test the effectiveness of alert, monitoring and warning systems among all the emergency management organizations throughout the region. The test was designed to determine whether Caribbean countries are ready to respond in the event of a dangerous tsunami. Results will be reported in April.

"The earthquake and tsunami that have devastated Japan have shown how essential alert systems are," said Irina Bokova, UNESCO's director general.

Continue reading Caribbean Tsunami test hopes to save lives

Caribbean Tsunami test hopes to save lives originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 breeds of pirate - Somalis to Vikings to Japanese Pirate Ninjas

Justin Delaney — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Asia, Europe, North America, Madagascar, Niger, Somalia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Oman, Norway, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, United States, Caribbean, Travel Security

A yacht carrying a quartet of Americans was recently seized by Somali pirates, the latest in a string of hijackings that reaches back millenia. According to MSNBC, the seized yacht, the "S/V Quest," is owned by Jean and Scott Adam - a couple on a worldwide quest distributing bibles. While they no doubt expected to spread the word far and wide, they were certainly not expecting to be boarded by Somali pirates off the coast of Oman in the Arab sea. The waters along the horn of Africa are a hotbed of piracy, and travelling by boat in this region is about as reckless as booking a 2 week holiday in Mogadishu.

The Somali pirates are the modern day face of an enterprise that has existed for centuries. Piracy has been part of seafaring culture since man first took to the open water. As early as 1400 BC, Lukka sea raiders from Asia Minor began committing acts of piracy throughout the Mediterranean. These early pirates were known simply as the "Sea Peoples." Aside from these early innovators of seaward sabotage, many groups and clans have sailed under the banner of terror on the high seas. The Vikings innovated the craft, the Barbary corsairs elevated it to an art, and the pirates of the Caribbean made it famous. Many other groups, operating in the shadows of history, took to piracy on the high seas. From dark age plundering to modern day terrorism, some of these groups of pirates include:

Continue reading 10 breeds of pirate - Somalis to Vikings to Japanese Pirate Ninjas

10 breeds of pirate - Somalis to Vikings to Japanese Pirate Ninjas originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cruise Scam Watch: The $99 cruise

Chris Owen — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business, North America, Antigua and Barbuda, United States, Consumer Activism, Cruises, Caribbean

Is it real or is it a fake? That's the big question that comes up when we hear of a $99 cruise. Short answer: If it comes directly from a cruise line, yes, it probably is true. You'll pay port charges, taxes and government fees on top of that but those prices do exist. If it comes from anyone else, beware; this might be a scam.

We'll get to the real scammers in a minute. First though, let's look at a real-life example of cruise pricing that may appear to be misleading but really is not. It's important to know the difference between the two.

Real cheap fares are often last-minute deals and you'll have to sail in the next 30 to 90 days to get them. Cruise lines do that to fill up ships rather than sail with empty cabins. Other cheap fares like Carnival Cruise Line's Early Saver Fare, are for sailings far in advance. These have restrictions, much like a discounted airline ticket.

That Early Saver fare is one of the best values around, no scamming involved but can be hard to tie down on our own. For example, right now the line is advertising fares starting at $169 for a 3-day cruise. That's a great value.

Let's play along and see what happens when we try to find that $169 price advertised on Carnival's web site today as that sure catches ones eye.

Going to Carnival.com we look for special pricing and see that $169 price. We click for "details" and find that $169 price is no place to be found and the low price that jumps off the page is now $209. "That's OK" we say, let's play along. So we click on View Sailings by that $209 price and get 74 pages of cruises to look through. Our confidence is restored a bit as we see prices less than that $209 and finally find the $169 price.

Cruise lines commonly offer a price that is restricted to one or two sailings out of the hundreds of choices we might find.

There's really nothing wrong here and Carnival is not trying to take advantage of us, it's just clever marketing but totally legitimate. They actually did have that $169 fare. Clicking around you'll run into the same situation on pretty much any major cruise line website.

It's a rather complicated process that we get used to really fast which opens the door for the crooks to come in.

This would be a good reason to use a travel agent who can help navigate through the maze of choices. Still, Carnival is an honest company, selling an actual product. Not all travel sellers are.

Continue reading Cruise Scam Watch: The $99 cruise

Cruise Scam Watch: The $99 cruise originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily Pampering: Curtain Bluff Resort's honeymoon packages from $4200

Melanie Nayer — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean, Luxury Travel

This luxury Caribbean resort is kicking things off in 2011 with a package for the lovers.

Curtain Bluff, one of the Caribbean's favorite luxury all-inclusive beach resorts and a Condé Nast reader's choice pick for the past three years, is offering honeymoon packages through May 14, 2011. This daily pampering comes with a lot of pampering! The 4-night package includes:

3 meals a day
bar drinks
most water sports including motorized and non motorized water sports
use of the gym including aerobic, pilates, yoga and aquatic classes
use of tennis courts and squash court
round trip town car pick up
bottle of champagne in room upon arrival
private dinner in romantic garden gazebo
couples Destressor massage in our spa
sunset sail on 49 foot sailboat

You'll spend time along the resort's two stunning beaches, enjoy nightly entertainment, and take a peek at the resort's 25,000 bottle wine cellar.

The cost of this romantic getaway starts at $4200 for a deluxe room; $5052 for a junior suite; or $7220 for the Grace/Morris Bay suite. Extra nights are available if you find yourself lost in paradise.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Daily Pampering: Curtain Bluff Resort's honeymoon packages from $4200 originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily Pampering: Unlimited wine for ladies at Sugar Ridge Antigua

Annie Scott — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: Food and Drink, Antigua and Barbuda

Sugar Ridge Antigua wants to host your "Girlfriends Getaway" and is totally trying to entice you with wine. I feel okay with that, don't you?

Ladies booking the Girlfriends Getaway package, a four-night all-inclusive, will get two one-hour massages per person, free breakfast, lunch and dinner (none of that "choose two meals and suffer" nonsense), and unlimited wine and house beverages. If you've ever wanted to do a trip with your gal pals but felt you would all eat and drink yourselves into the poor house, you should jump at this!

So, what are you going to do while you're not drinking wine (or, let's face it, while you're drinking wine)? Well, you can lounge by the infinity pool above -- which also has a view of the ocean, but I liked this shot of the rolling green hills better -- or your can put down your glass and take the complimentary shuttle to the white, powdery sand beach, head to the Jolly Harbor Marina for boating excursions, tennis, squash and golf, or go on a historical trek to Nelson Dockyard and Shirley Heights.

The cost is reasonable for all it includes, at "$1,120 per person for a single occupancy room and $920 per person for double occupancy for a minimum of two rooms." The offer is valid for travel through September 18, 2010.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Daily Pampering: Unlimited wine for ladies at Sugar Ridge Antigua originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Caribbean bolthole to offer iPads to guests

Alex Robertson Textor — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, North America, United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, United States, Caribbean

Lighthouse Bay Resort, an exquisite Barbuda resort recently tipped by Vanity Fair's George Wayne as an appropriately majestic honeymoon location for Prince William and Kate Middleton, already cocoons its guests in utter bliss.

It offers isolation along a miles-long stretch of insanely stunning beach; a skilled chef who produces wonderfully personalized meals; an appealing list of activities, all gently on offer; and free long-distance telephone and use of laptops-and, as of this coming week, use of iPads on the property.

In stocking its rooms with iPads, Lighthouse Bay will advance a luxury hotel micro-trend. Back in April, Gridskipper noted that several hotels had begun to incorporate the iPad tablet into their amenity tallies. One of the hotels mentioned in that round-up, Rhode Island's Ocean House, at the time planned to offer iPads as a basic amenity for guests; the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts and the Berkeley in London (the latter reported in Gadling) both provide iPad in selected suites.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire's Ale House Inn ups the ante by providing iPads to guests in all its "Deluxe" rooms. By providing four iPads for its nine suites, Lighthouse Bay provides similarly broad guest access to iPads. Next season, Lighthouse Bay plans to roll out iPads in all of its nine suites.

The iPad is still very new and it's unclear how broad its adoption will be. But if this micro-trend continues and luxury hotels will soon be providing the magic tablet for guests in greater numbers, the iPad may progress from amenity to utility fairly quickly.

Top Caribbean bolthole to offer iPads to guests originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five idyllic Caribbean backwaters

Alex Robertson Textor — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Caribbean

Beyond the Caribbean's all-inclusive resorts, casinos, overpriced restaurants, and huge crowds are a handful of islands that have escaped mass development. These quiet islands, with their tiny populations and scattered tourist facilities, are not headed for mass-tourism overdevelopment anytime soon, and for a range of reasons-in some cases, the absence of an adequate expanse for a large runway; in others, proximity to more developed islands, or local governmental resistance, or even a decently profitable traditional economy that generates more money than tourism. For whatever reason, these backwaters should remain charming and relatively quiet for some time to come. Let your castaway fantasy flag fly.

1. Anegada, British Virgin Islands.

Geographically and geologically apart from the rest of the Virgin Islands, Anegada is a limestone-based island with enormous stretches of perfect white-sand beaches. It's hard to top Anegada's Loblolly Bay or Cow Wreck beaches for their achievement of ideal beach status. There may be things to do on the island above and beyond lazing on the beach in a rum haze, but you'll surely never need to discover them. Think Anguilla without the crowds (let alone the celebrities) and you've got a good sense of the island. Anegada can be reached by ferry from Tortola or charter plane.

2. Barbuda, Antigua & Barbuda.

Barbuda boasts some of the Caribbean's best and least-trafficked beaches, a noteworthy frigate bird preserve, a fascinating cave complex, and Lighthouse Bay, one of the Caribbean's most thrillingly perfect resorts. That the island hasn't been developed to pieces seems a miracle when one contemplates how many Caribbean islands with less remarkable beaches manage to be vastly more developed. Barbuda can be reached by air and ferry from Antigua-or, if you're lucky enough to be a guest of Lighthouse Bay, by helicopter.

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Five idyllic Caribbean backwaters originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three all-inclusive vacation packages for summer

Tom Johansmeyer — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: North America, Antigua and Barbuda, United States, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean

The best part of all-inclusive trips is that the thinking is taken out of the equation. Want a second drink? Hell, a second entrée? Go for it! There's no reason not to ... because the bill is already paid. I had my first brush with the all-inclusive concept last summer, and I'm sold on it, especially since I get impatient while waiting for the bill (when the meal's over, I just want to get on with my life). So, I was pretty excited to see a handful of all-inclusive deals come across my desk or this summer.

So, take a look below at what's coming at Vail Resorts, Curtain Bluff and Grand Teton National Park in the next few months. You'll probably find a vacation idea to turn you on and make the coming warmth even better!

Continue reading Three all-inclusive vacation packages for summer

Three all-inclusive vacation packages for summer originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take a swing at Antigua Tennis Week

Tom Johansmeyer — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean

For the fourth year in a row, Curtain Bluff will be home to Antigua Tennis Week. For seven days, you can enjoy a tennis-filled getaway at this fantastic all-inclusive resort. The package includes stroke and strategy clinics with the pros, free court time on Curtain Bluff's four courts (including balls and rackets) and the chance to participate in Pro-Am tournaments, exhibitions and lessons. Aside from tennis, you'll also get to enjoy the resort's other amenities, SCUBA diving, deep sea fishing and reef snorkeling. Of course, meals and drinks are included. Rates start at $745 a night for a deluxe room with an ocean view.

If you like to spend time on the court or have a second serve to be feared, this is a great chance to play some tennis in a location that just can't be beat.

Read our previous coverage of Curtain Bluff.

Gallery: Guestrooms at Curtain Bluff

Take a swing at Antigua Tennis Week originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Only a few weeks left on Curtain Bluff Power of '10 package

Tom Johansmeyer — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Scuba Diving, Antigua and Barbuda, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean

There's only a month left on Curtain Bluff's "Power of '10" deal, and if you're feeling worn down by the fierce winter cold, here's your chance to win some relief. So, stay at this Antigua resort in the next few weeks, and you'll be able to add some interesting activities to the SCUBA diving, dep-sea fishing and reef snorkeling that are already available. You'll be able to take a cooking class with Chef Christophe Blatz, pick up a second spa treatment (of equal or lesse value), add an extra personal training session or enjoy a second tennis lesson.

These perks come at the rich cost of $10, as long as you pick them up by the end of March. The all-inclusive resort starts at $995 a night. I know there isn't much time, but if you need to get away, this is an excellent way to do it.

Gallery: Guestrooms at Curtain Bluff

Only a few weeks left on Curtain Bluff Power of '10 package originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily Pampering: The Curtain Bluff Babymoon

Tom Johansmeyer — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean

Pregnancy is already challenging enough, especially if you're a first-timer. Moms- and dads-to-be alike need a break from the doctor's appointments, planning and anxiety that come with bringing a new life into the world. So, when you measure the future in centimeters (you'll get it if you're expecting) instead of miles, it's hard to imagine getting on a plane, regardless of how attractive the destination is.

Before pampering takes on a new meaning - and it will - book a babymoon to Curtain Bluff. The resort, located in Antigua, takes all the thinking out of your vacation, thanks to the all-inclusive pricing. Reserve your stay and your flight, and then just show up. Sleep comfortably in your junior suite (while sleeping is still an option), and have dinner on your balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Sprawl out in the sand, get on a boat or take a swim. Enjoy the last days of pre-parental life with each other.

The spa at Curtain Bluff has prenatal treatments, so be sure to book at least one trip to this den of luxury while you're in Antigua. The massages are unbeatable, and the skilled professionals know how to navigate both male and female bodies, pregnant and otherwise.

Gallery: Guestrooms at Curtain Bluff

Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Daily Pampering: The Curtain Bluff Babymoon originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fifth free night at Antigua resort

Tom Johansmeyer — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean

January is a great time to head down to the Caribbean. The weather is just about at its coldest and dreariest. The days are short and cloudy. Disappearing for four nights of sunshine, warmth and bliss is pretty hard to turn down. Well, committing to four will get you five at Curtain Bluff in Antigua early next year. Book at least a junior suite for four nights between January 3 and 23 next year, and the resort will kick in an extra night free. And, if you book it by December 15, you'll pick up two complimentary spa treatments.

This is a rare opportunity: it's not often you get to pick up a great deal during peak season. So, if you're looking to do some SCUBA diving, reef snorkeling and deep-sea fishing (all-inclusive, of course), it might be worth dashing down to Antigua. Don't worry about harassment from "Sir" Allen Stanford - he's otherwise ~~committed~~ detained.

Want to see what a junior suite looks like? Check out the video after the jump.

Gallery: Curtain Bluff Swimming Beach

Gallery: Guestrooms at Curtain Bluff

Continue reading Fifth free night at Antigua resort

Fifth free night at Antigua resort originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Accusations traded between police and detainees in Antigua

Tom Johansmeyer — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, News, Caribbean

Six Carnival cruise ship passengers hit and choked the police. Or, the police punched the passengers in the face. A week after the half dozen New Yorkers were arrested, the only thing that's clear is that both sides say they're right.

While on a 10-hour port call in Antigua, the cruise passengers paid a taxi driver to give them a tour of the island. The tour ended at a beach - rather than back at the cruise ship - and the once happy wanderers balked at having to shell out $100 on top of the $50 they'd already paid for the ride. A brawl ensued, and the police were called. The mayhem ended with incarceration.

The passengers were let out on $5,000 bail on Monday but have to stay in the country until the trial is concluded. Dolores Lalanne, Mike Pierre Paul, Joshua Jackson, Shoshonna Henry, Nancy Lalanne and Rachael Henry all entered pleas of not guilty to charges including battery and malicious damage. Prosecutors dropped the assault charges.

The trial began Wednesday, with the police testifying that the New Yorkers behaved aggressively. One officer, Alcia Browne-Weston claimed to have been kicked in the stomach and then choked by one of the tourists. Meanwhile, the defendants say the cops - not wearing uniforms - did not announce themselves before starting the altercation. Shoshonna Henry claimed to The Associated Press: "We thought these people were going to kill us."

The trial is set to continue today.

Accusations traded between police and detainees in Antigua originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carnival cruise passengers spend weekend in Antigua ... in jail

Tom Johansmeyer — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, News, Cruises, Caribbean

It looks like Carnival could use some new passengers. Not even a week after banning a family for life - and then reversing the ban - six passengers on one of its ships have been detained in Antigua. Now, if you're going to get stuck someplace, Antigua isn't bad, but I'd rather be in a resort than involved with the criminal justice system - it just seems more fun.

Dolores Lalanne, 25, Mike Pierre Paul, 24, Joshua Jackson, 25, Shoshonnah Henry, 24, Nancy Lalanne, 22, and Rachael Henry, 27 have been charged with assault, battery and malicious damage. A fight over cab fare got out of hand and turned into an altercation with the local police. They are being held in Antigua until trial.

The alleged fight broke out on Friday, when the Carnival Victory passengers got off the ship for a 10-hour port call. The passengers refused to pay a cab driver, claiming they were being overcharged. Original reports of the story say that the cab driver quoted a $50 price for a tour that would end at a beach. He later told them, supposedly, that it would cost more to get back to the ship. The driver drove the passengers to a police station, which is where the fight is said to have broken out.

After spending the weekend in jail, the passengers were released on $5,000 bail but had to give up their travel documents and check in with the court regularly. Apparently, jail is unpleasant in Antigua, particularly because of the mosquitoes.

Continue reading Carnival cruise passengers spend weekend in Antigua ... in jail

Carnival cruise passengers spend weekend in Antigua ... in jail originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Go to Antigua with Curtain Bluff's "Power of 10" package

Tom Johansmeyer — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean

I know we're still sweating the summer, and January seems like a lifetime away. But, think back seven or eight months. Remember how cold it was. It's hard to make the connection, but it really was that cold out, and you lived it. It's going to happen again before you know it. So, now is probably the time to book a retreat from the crushing cold. Curtain Bluff's new package, "The Power of 10," is designed to make your start to 2010 memorable ... as if relief from frigid temperatures with the warmth of Antigua weren't enough.

From January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2010, you're stay at the all-inclusive Curtain Bluff resort will be enhanced with a sunset sail on Curtain Bluff's yacht, cooking classes with Chef Christophe Blatz and a series of "seconds": a second spa treatment, a second tennis lesson and a second personal training session. And, this comes in addition to all the usuals: fishing, snorkeling, SCUBA diving and just relaxing by the beach.

"2009 was a tough year for many in different ways," says Rob Sherman, managing director of Curtain Bluff. "We at Curtain Bluff want to offer something extra special and fun to start 2010 off right," he continues; "now in addition to experiencing some of our top activities already included with their stay, guests can also splurge on spa treatments and private lessons and classes at minimal cost."

Curtain Bluff really does redefine relaxation: the place actually got me to chill for a while. This package is definitely worth a look.

Interested in Curtain Bluff? Read the recent series on this resort >>

Go to Antigua with Curtain Bluff's "Power of 10" package originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inside Curtain Bluff: how "all-inclusive" makes life easier

Tom Johansmeyer — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Antigua and Barbuda, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean

When I spoke with Curtain Bluff Managing Director Rob Sherman, he cringed as he uttered the words "all-inclusive." I think I know why. It sounds gimmicky and almost implies "discount." Neither concept fits his resort. There are no gimmicks, just incredible, top-shelf service from a staff that's worked the property for an average of 26 years. And, obviously, "discount" is in short supply at a property that caters to guests who tend to be affluent.

The underlying concept, however, makes life a hell of a lot easier. You pay once, when you book your stay. After that, you don't have to think about carrying your wallet or signing for anything. I've found that, when I travel, most of the annoyances I encounter are during check-in, checkout and at meals (not including the flights of course, but that's another matter entirely).

Think about it: check-in runs smoothly until you have to extract your credit card and wait for the imprint. It's one of the longest parts of the ordeal; everything else is easy. When you depart, you have to wait for the bill to be settled and your receipt printed. Ugh ... all you want to do is get on your way, but you have to wait. And, you deal with this at meals, too. You just want to leave, because you've finished eating. Not so fast ... you have to wait for a frantic waiter to squeeze you in for the check while he scrambles among tables that have entrees coming up, drink requests and all manner of petty complaints. Even when you're finished, you're not.

Gallery: Guestrooms at Curtain Bluff

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Inside Curtain Bluff: how "all-inclusive" makes life easier originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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